Breaking news: Texans star man retires after eight seasons……
Former Houston Texans running back Duke Johnson announced his retirement on social media after eight seasons in the NFL.
Duke Johnson, a former running back for the Houston Texans, announced his retirement on Sunday afternoon. After being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft (with pick No. 77 overall), he spent eight seasons playing in the league.
Having broken the school record for most rushes, Johnson went into the draft as one of the top prospects at his position at Miami. He gained 3,519 yards in total rushes during his college career. He took to social media to announce his retirement.
“I never dreamed of being the all-time leading rusher of my dream school or being somewhere on the list of all-time players to come out of South FL,” Johnson posted on Instagram.
“All I wanted was the chance to play a game and improve my family’s quality of life, and I succeeded in doing so. I’d want to express my gratitude to all of the teams that allowed me to play and represent your company, as well as to the supporters who helped me through the good times and the bad.”
Johnson spent his eight years as a player for four different teams. Before the 2019 season officially began, the dual-threat running back was traded to the Texans after spending four seasons with the Browns.
He ran for 645 yards on 160 rushes and three touchdowns in two seasons with the Texans. Deshaun Watson, the previous quarterback, could always count on Johnson as a target. On 97 receptions, Johnson scored four touchdowns and gained 659 receiving yards.
Johnson spent the next two seasons playing for the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins, respectively, after leaving Houston.
For additional coverage of the Houston Texans over the offseason, stay tuned to TexansGameday. Coty M. Davis can be followed on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24. Don’t forget to subscribe to Locked On Texans, our daily podcast, right now! To view, click this link. To listen, click this link.
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The backup plan for RB No. 2 in the Jawhar Jordan-led Texans?
Did the Houston Texans select Jawhar Jordan as a backup quarterback behind Joe Mixon despite Dameon Pierce’s experience?
Houston — After the Houston Texans were eliminated from the playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens in January, head coach DeMeco Ryans was determined to improve the team’s running game. In the ensuing four months, Ryans was successful.
Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon was acquired by the Texans in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mixon would lead the squad as an offensive backfield starter if the season began tomorrow. But there’s a race developing for second in command.
Jawhar Jordan, a well-known prospect, was acquired by the Texans with the 205th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. But based on general manager Nick Caserio’s recent remarks on Sports Radio 610, it seems like Dameon Pierce might take back the position of the Texans’ lead back behind Mixon.
Coty M. Davis and John Hickman debate if Houston’s choice to choose Jordan in the first round was done so as a backup plan in case Pierce doesn’t live up to Caserio’s expectations of him playing a “big role” in 2024 in the most recent episode of the Locked on Texans podcast.
“The most important thing right now is to be healthy, which he is,” Caserio stated in a Tuesday morning interview with Payne and Pendergast of Sports Radio 610. “He has the best attitude of any player on the team. It’s good to have DP here. He will play a significant role in our work. It’s wonderful to see that he is working so hard so far.”
Arriving to the Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pierce was selected. Since then, he has made 27 appearances and has run for 1,355 yards on 365 attempts with six touchdowns.
Given his background, Pierce has an advantage, but Jordan will be a formidable opponent as Mixon’s primary backup. In his final year of college, Jordan, a 5-foot-9 running back from Louisville, had a career year, rushing for 1,128 yards on 181 attempts and 13 touchdowns.
“A lot of people have written me off,” Jordan stated on April 27. “I wasn’t considered one of the best running backs even in the previous season. I’m confident that at the end of it all, I’ll rank among the best.
For additional coverage of the Houston Texans over the offseason, stay tuned to TexansGameday. Coty M. Davis can be followed on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24. Don’t forget to subscribe to Locked On Texans, our daily podcast, right now! To view, click this link. To listen, click this link.
